Stalk cutter



Feb. 12 1924.

C. L. WOTTRENG STALK CUTTER Filed Dec. 30. 1921 Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

'UNi'iEo STATES PATENT OFFICE- CHARLES L. worriune, or HOUSTON, Texas.

Application filed December 30, 1921. Serial No. 525,826.

To all whom it any concern: it known that CHARLES L. Wo rrmNo, a citizen of thevUnited States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of. Texas, has invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Stalk Cutters, of which the-following is a specification. I 'Thls invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in a stalk cutter and has for its primary object the provision of a device of thischaracter which will be of simple construction and operation as well as hi hly efiicient in use and which may be readi y' adjusted for cutting the stalks of several rows at each operation, regardless of the distance between the rows of stalks.

Q The invention. has for another objectthe provision of a stalk cutter of the character stated which-:-will Abe. of 1 such construction that I the adjustable partsthereof may be readily regulated according to the distance between the rows of stalks to be cutand the device then operated between the rows of stalks to properly cut the same adjacent the gr'ound'and cause the stalks to fall together in a single row so that they may be readily gathered and burned or otherwise destroyed to assist in fertilizing the ground andat the same time destroying boll weevil and other enemiesof cotton and similar stalk growths.

The invention lh'as,,=for a. further object the provision of a stalk cutter of the character stated in which the side blades may be carried on the runners so as to o aerate adj acent the surface and cut the stalks in opposite rows as the device is moved along between parallelrows of stalks.

The invention; has for. a still further oblit e P fi e f a stalk. cutter of the character set forth wliich'will be constructed so as to ride 'alon the surface and which 'willbe provided with means for guiding thedevice properly and preventing side movement or slipping thereof on the surface dur ing the operation of cutting the stalks, thereby pro'viding'a device which may be used on v and hard surface.

sdft and wet ground as well as on 'any'solid The invention has {for afstill further ob ject' the provision of a stalk cutter of the character set" forth-which will be ofi such construction that it ma be readily drawn by a single draftanimal and ployed either as a riding cutter ing cutter, as desired, the device beingconthe cutter are located the rearwardly divergmzy be em-- r-a walk-,

structed so that a single operator may take care of the complete operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating elements as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming :1 art of .the present application and in whic Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine with the parts properly adjusted and-the device ready for operation.

Figure 2 is a-top plan'viewi of the device as shown in Fig. l.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts Jthrou' houtthe several views, 1 indicates the can in team upon the forward end of whichthe clevisa is mounted for connecting the draft mecha uism, not. shown, b means of which the draft animal may connected with the stalk cutter for drawing the same over the surface, from which the growing stalks are to becut.

The central beam 1 serves to support the guide wheel or disc 3 in suitable 'rearwardly extended support-ingbracket arms 4; mounted on the rearend of the central beam 1, as shown clearly in thedrawings. This guide wheel or disc? may serve to enter the sur- I standardld is alsomounted on the rear por-.

tion. of the central standard 1 by its turned 1 lower "end 6 secured 'on 'the standard y suit able securing member'sywhilethe" ri yers seat 6 is mounted'on the rearwardlyiturned upper end 7 of the standard ,5 asshozwn clearly-inI ig-J. I a On opposite sides of the central beam 1 of ing side beams 8 which may also be termed the runners" and which are adapted to ride upon the surface with the central beam 1.

These side beams or runners 8 are connectedat their forward end portions by the forward connecting bar 9 extended over the forward portion of the central beam 1 and beneath the adjusting late 10 mounted thereon. This plate 10 as a plurality of spaced openings 11 arranged longitudinally 110 thereof to receive the pivot pin 12 which also extends through the central portion of the connecting bar 9, thereby forming a loose connection between the guide beams or runners 8 and the central beam 1, it being understood that the pivot bolt 12 is extended through the proper opening 11 and after relative adjustment of the central beam 1 and the side beams or runners 8.

Mounted u on the side beams or runners 8 are the sta engaging and bending members or fenders 13 which are of substantially inverted U-shaped form with the lower ends of their legs bent to form angular extensions 1 1 and secured upon the upper face of the side beams or runners 8, as shown in Fig. 1 While the main or cenlral portions are above and parallel with the side beams or runners 8,- as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and may be bent over ouln'aiidly of the side beams or runners 8, if desired, in order that they may properly engage the stalk and straighten the same for the cutting operation and then serve to properly force the cut stalks over so that all of them will lie in the same direction and the stalks of adjacent rows be caused to fall in a single row when out. The stalk engaging members or fenders 13 are preferably of the size indicated in the drawings so that the members extend prac tically-the entire length of theside beams or runners 8.

Each side beam or runner. 8 carries a cutting blade 15 extending the entire distance beneath the stalk engaging members or tenders 13 with the outer longitudinal edge serving as the blade of the knife so as to assureprope'r cutting of the stalk. In the drawings the blade 15 is shown as being secured upon the under face of the side beams or runners 8 although these blades may be positioned on the upper faces thereof, if desired. This may be preferred when a device is designed for use on surfaces where many stones and other obstructions are found, so'

as to prevent unnecessary damage to the cutting edges of the blades or the knives 15. The handle members 16 are secured at their lower portions to oppositesides of the central beam 1, near the forward end of the latter. "hese handle members 16 extend rearWardly and upwardly and have the upper extremities thereof curved downwardly to form the handles 17, by means of which the device may be operated as a walk ing' cutter or walking stalk cutter. These handle members 16 are connected by a transverse bracing member 18 near the handles 17. This bracing memberfl'S is shown as being in the formof a bracing bar with the opposite end portions turned at an angle and secured to two of said handle members 16'by suitable securing members 19. securing members 19 also have mounted liiGlcOl'l the upper extremities of the bracing Tl rose- 2 ,ese ,403

bars 20 or the central members 1. The upper portions of thesebracing members 20 are turned at an angle to the main portions thereof, as shown in the drawings and these main portions of the bracing members 20 are extended downwardly and outwardly and secured at their lower extremities on the transverse adjusting bars'21.' The adjusting bars 21 are carried on the rear portions of the side beams or runners 8, as shown clearly in the drawings and have the spaced openings 22 along their greater portions so that these members 21 may be crossed over the rear end portions beam 1 and secured on the adjusting bolt 23 passed'through registering openings 22 of the adjusting bars 21 and into the central beam 1. It will the side beams or runners 8 may be readily adjusted to vary the distance between the same according to the distance between the rows of standing stalks to be cut.

' As further bracing means for the stalk cutter, I have provided the bracing bars 24 which are pivoted at their outer ends upon the forward portions of the side beams or runners 8 while their inner ends are crossed over the central beam 1 by a-pivot'bolt 25 after ward'ly and rearwardly, by referring to the being extended inas will be evident drawings. If desired of the central therefore be evident that and secured thereto however, the pivot bolt 25 may be extended only through the bracing bars 2-i and not through the central beam 1. This is also true of the pivot bolt 23 for the adjusting bars 21. By referrin to the drawings, particularly Fig. 1, it will be seen that the braning bars 2 1 areshown as having their outer or forward ends positioned so as to mounted at the forward lower frame securing members as provided for gecuring the forward ends of the stalk engagmg and bending members or fenders- 13 believed that the complete construction and operation of this stalk cutter may now be readily understood-by referring to the foregoing paragraphs in connection with'the accompanying drawings without further detailed description. It may be stated briefly, however, that after proper adjustment of the parts as described, according to the distance between the standingstalks, the device maybe readily operated by a single attendrows of stalks at a time,

end on pen the side beams er runners 8. It is ried by said central properly guide the stalk cutter and prevent side movement or slipping of the same.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction and arrangement 1 of parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is 2-- 1. A stalk cutter comprising a central beam, side beams adjustable upon'said central beam anddiverging rearwardly therefrom, said side beams serving as runners, stalk cutting blades carried by said runners, draft element attaching means carried on said central bea-m,,a guide member carried on said central beam, a drivers seat mounted on said central beam, means for securing said side beams in adjusted position, and stalk engaging fenders carried by said side beams and extending upwardly therefrom.

2. A stalk cutter comprising a central beam, sidebeams mounted on said central beam and serving as runners, stalk cutting blades carried by said runners, stalk engag ing fenders mounted on said runners, and a guiding element mounted on said central beam to prevent side slippin of said stalk cutter when in operation, an .means for adjusting said runners independently at their rear ends.

A stalk cutter comprising a central beam, draft element attaching means carbealn, side beams diverging from one another and serving as runners for the stalk cutter, means for connecting the forward convergedends of said side carried on the oppositeend rent side slipping of said stalk cutter,

beams on opposite sides of said central beam and adjusting the side beams longitudinally of said central beam, a guide disc suspended trom the rear end of said central beam to prevent side slipping of the stalk cutter while in operation, means connecting the rear portions of'said runners and retaining the same in adjusted position with respect to one another and with respect tothe rear end portions of the central beam, bracing means for said side runners, stalk. cutting blades carried by said runners, fenders mounted on said runners, a drivers seat,- ior said stalk cutters mounted on the central beam thereof, and guide handles connected with said central beam and with the connecting means for the rear end portions of said side runners, and means forbracing said guide handles.

4; A stalk cutter comprising a central beam, draft eiement attaching means carried on one end or said central beam, a guide disc of said central beam and adapted to enter the surface over which the stalk cutter is operated to prediverging side beams connected with said central beam and serving as runners for the stalk cutter, said side runnersbeing adapted to be adjusted to vary the distance. between the diverging ends thereof, stalk cutters car-- ricdby said runners, stalk engagin fenders carried by said. runners and exten mg upwardly therefrom, said fenders comprising a U-shaped member having-their free ends secured to said runners.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES, L. WOTTRING. 

